Category: WWE

AAA Triplemania XXX: Tijuana Results 6/18/2022

La Hiedra, Lady Shani, Maravilla, Reina Dorada, and Sexy Star defeated Chik Tormenta and Flammer in a steel cage match after they all escaped the cage. As Tormenta and Flammer were the last two left in the cage, they were forced to face each other in a mask vs. mask match later in the show.

Nino Hamberguesa defeated Abismo Negro Jr., Bestia 666, Charly Manson, Cibernetico, Dulce Kanela, Heavy Metal,  Mamba, Mecha Wolf, Mr. Iguana, Pagano, Rey Xolo and Vamprio after eliminating Mamba to win Copa TripleMania Tijuana.

Fenix defeated Taurus, Laredo Kid, Hijo del Vikingo, and Bandido after pinning Taurus with a Double Foot Stomp to unify the for the AAA Latin American and AAA World Cruiserweight Championships.

AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Taya Valkyrie came out to challenge AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa to a match at a future AAA show.

An in-ring ceremony honoring Konnan aired.

Blue Demon Jr. defeated Pentagon Jr. after pinning Pentagon with an Avalanche Canadian Destroyer through a table. With the loss, Pentagon Jr. moves on to the finals of the Ruleta de la Muerte tournament at TripleMania XXX: Mexico City this October.

Matt Hardy announced that Johnny Caballero, aka Johnny Elite, aka John Morrison, would be Jeff Hardy’s replacement against Dragon Lee and Dralistico in the main event, under the name Johnny Hardy.

Flammer defeated Chik Tormenta in a mask vs. mask match after pinning Tormenta with a Rolling Fireman’s Carry through a table. As a result, Chik Tormenta was forced to unmask.

Psycho Clown defeated Villano IV after pinning Villano with an Air Raid Crash onto thumbtacks. With the loss, Villano IV Psycho Clown moves onto the finals of the Ruleta de la Muerte tournament at TripleMania XXX: Mexico City this October to take on Pentagon Jr. in a mask vs. mask match.

Dragon Lee & Dralistico (Los Faccion Ingobernables) defeated Johnny Hardy (aka Johnny Caballero) & Matt Hardy after Dralistico pinned Hardy following a moonsault. Johnny betrayed Hardy earlier in the match after the two accidentally collided. After the match, Johnny attacked Lee and Dralistico till Hardy made the save; Hardy then shook hands with Lee and Dralistico to end the show.

AAA Triplemania XXX: Tijuana 6/18/2022

Following the arrest, Jeff, and his brother Matt, were pulled from “AEW: Dynamite” this past week. On The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Matt gave an update on his and his brother’s status for TripleMania XXX: Tijuana this weekend.

“I’ll be going to TripleMania in Tijuana for Triple-A, pretty excited about that,” Hardy said. “We’re going to have a mystery partner. We’ll probably announce the mystery partner in all reality but I’ll be teaming with someone else … Jeff, right now, is focused on life which is much bigger than pro wrestling.”

DATE: June 18, 2022 10:00 pm
LOCATION: Estadio Caliente Xoloitzcuintles, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

CARD

Matt Hardy & TBA vs. Dragon Lee & Dralistico

RULETA DE LA MUERTE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL
Psycho Clown vs. Villano IV

MARK VS. MASK MATCH
*Final two competitors from the steel cage match

RULETA DE LA MUERTE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL
Blue Demon Jr. vs. Pentagon Jr.

AAA LATIN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH/AAA WORLD CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Bandido vs. Fenix vs. AAA Mega Champion Hijo Del Vikingo vs. AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Laredo Kid (c) vs. AAA Latin American Champion Taurus (c)

13-PERSON COPA TRIPLEMANIA MATCH
*Participants to be announced

ESCAPE THE CAGE MATCH
Chik Tormenta vs. Flammer vs. La Hiedra vs. Lady Shani vs. Maravilla vs. Reina Dorada, vs. Sexy Star

WWE SmackDown Preview 6/17/22

A tumultuous week for WWE wraps up with a live edition of “SmackDown” tonight on FOX.

WWE is promoting that Mr. McMahon will appear on tonight’s broadcast. WWE specified that it will be “Mr. McMahon” who will be on “SmackDown”, indicating that he will be speaking in character.

WWE and its Board of Directors announced early this morning that Vince McMahon has stepped back from his responsibilities as Chairman and CEO amid an investigation into alleged misconduct. His role in directing the creative direction of the company is not changing. Stephanie McMahon has been appointed the interim CEO and interim Chairwoman.

Vince McMahon To Appear On SmackDown After Stepping Back As WWE CEO

Following a report revealing the WWE board is investigating allegations made against Vince McMahon, the boss has temporarily stepped down as the chairman and CEO of the company. Vince’s daughter Stephanie has been appointed interim CEO and chairwoman pending the results of the investigation. Vince will remain in charge of WWE creative, something that will likely be addressed tonight on SmackDown.

Shortly after WWE issued a statement revealing Vince will be stepping back from his duties as the promotion’s chairman, a second reveal was made informing fans the boss will be on SmackDown tonight. What exactly Vince will be doing on the show hasn’t been clarified, but as you can see in the tweet below, the implication is he will be opening the show.

Putting Vince on TV amid all this, or rather Vince putting himself on TV in the middle of all this, is quite something. Although the results of the investigation could well prove nothing actually happened, and the currently inactive chairman may well be appearing on TV tonight to deliver a sincere message, advertising the way WWE has on social media makes it feel a lot like a way to get viewers off the back of something that is currently unresolved.

As for Stephanie, the interim chairwoman has already issued her first statement since being brought back into the fold just a month after she stepped away from her previous WWE duties. “I am honored to assume the role of interim Chairwoman & CEO. I love @WWE and all it continues to do to entertain billions around the world,” Stephanie tweeted.

More details about what exactly is going on behind the scenes in WWE will undoubtedly continue to emerge in the coming days and weeks. Perhaps most notably tonight when Vince opens SmackDown. There will likely be a lot of change coming, regardless of the results of the investigation. Plus, the allegations made against John Laurinaitis still haven’t been officially addressed.

Source: TheSportster

UPDATE:

Shortly before 10 a.m. EST, CNBC’s Alex Sherman tweeted out just how McMahon would be approaching his appearance on tonight’s broadcast.

“New from CNBC: Vince McMahon will speak tonight on SmackDown IN CHARACTER as Mr. McMahon to address his temporary absence,” Sherman tweeted. “Could be a big ratings night for WWE. McMahon has torn up the script for SmackDown, which was written last night, I’m told.”

Vince McMahon Has Voluntarily Stepped Down As Chairman And CEO Of WWE, Stephanie McMahon Appointed Interim CEO 

News broke revealing Vince McMahon is being investigated by WWE’s board of directors. The main claim made against the chairman is that McMahon had an affair with a former WWE employee, and when the consensual relationship came to an end, the boss paid her a $3 million settlement to keep quiet about it.

Just two days later, that investigation has led to Vince voluntarily stepping down as WWE’s CEO and chairman pending the results of the investigation. “Effective immediately, McMahon has voluntarily stepped back from his responsibilities as CEO and Chairman of the Board until the conclusion of the investigation,” a press release issued by WWE reads, via Wrestling Inc.

As for who will fill Vince’s role while the investigation is ongoing, and perhaps for good depending on the results, that will be his daughter, Stephanie McMahon. The boss’s daughter has been appointed interim CEO and interim chairwoman of the company in her father’s absence. Vince won’t be gone completely for the time being. The press release also makes clear that Vince will retain his responsibilities as WWE’s head of creative content.

“I have pledged my complete cooperation to the investigation by the Special Committee, and I will do everything possible to support the investigation,” Vince’s part of the official statement from WWE reads. “It is extremely important to me that we have a safe and collaborative workplace. I have committed to doing everything in my power to help the Special Committee complete its work,” Stephanie writes. Her return to fill in as chairwoman comes just a month after she stepped back from her role as WWE’s chief brand officer.

It’s currently unclear how this will affect the day-to-day of WWE for the fans, especially since Vince has retained his role as the head of the company’s creative. That could all change depending on the results of the investigation, of course, although the duration of it also remains unclear at present. The investigation also includes other claims of misconduct made against both Vince and John Laurinaitis since the initial news about the alleged affair and payoff broke.

Source: TheSportster

The Latest On Sasha Banks’ Status With WWE

It was reported yesterday by Raj Giri that Sasha Banks had been released by WWE. Now, further details about Banks’ WWE status are coming out.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports that he spoke with Giri earlier in the afternoon before the report was made and reached out to WWE. The representative he spoke to heard nothing about Banks’ release either way but did note that they saw Giri’s tweet. Regarding Banks’ status, nothing has been confirmed, but nothing has been refuted either. Contacts close to the public relations team in WWE had heard nothing of Banks’ reported departure as of 8 PM ET last night.

As of this writing, no memos or emails have apparently been sent out by the company internally regarding anything related to the reported release of Banks. There was reportedly an email sent urgently requesting her removal from an advertised live event, but nothing surrounding the current situation.

Along with her co-Tag Team Champion Naomi, Banks walked out on WWE  on May 16 before an episode of “WWE Raw.” Since then, Banks and Naomi were publicly outed on-air for staging the walkout and they were suspended indefinitely without pay. Corey Graves stated on the air that the walkout “disappointed the WWE Universe in the process” and that their actions caused them to relinquish their Tag Titles. All their merchandise has been removed from the WWE Shop and their likenesses have been scrubbed from any video advertisements or introductions.

It’s been reported that Banks’ contract was set to expire with WWE in two months’ time, and Naomi was reportedly in talks of renegotiating a contract at the time of the walkout.

Earlier this week, photos and videos were posted of Banks following a PRK eye surgery she underwent. That, along with her being seen at a Steve Aoki concert have been the only moments we’ve seen of Banks since she and Naomi staged the walkout.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Board Reportedly Investigating Vince McMahon Following Alleged Affair And Hush Payment

According to a bombshell Wall Street Journal piece, WWE CEO Vince McMahon is under investigation following an alleged affair with an employee.

Vince McMahon, WWE’s founder and CEO, is reportedly being investigated by the board of his own company after making an alleged hush payment to a former employee following an affair.

On Wednesday, June 15 the Wall Street Journal dropped a bombshell story that claims WWE’s board received an email containing details of a workplace affair McMahon conducted with a now-former WWE paralegal and the subsequent payments made in exchange for the unmanned person’s silence.

The email alleges that the female paralegal was initially hired on a salary of $100,000 per year, but her salary was doubled after she began a sexual relationship with McMahon. Allegedly, when McMahon ended the relationship with the former WWE employee, he “gave her like a toy” to the company’s general manager of talent relations John Laurinaitis.

According to WSJ’s report, the board’s investigation began in April and has discovered numerous non-disclosure agreements pertaining to allegations of misconduct leveled at McMahon and Laurinaitis.

Vince McMahon has been married to Linda McMahon, a former administrator of the United States Small Business Administration, since 1966. John Laurinaitis has been married to Kathy Colace, the mother of former WWE Superstars Nikki and Brie Bella, since 2016.

As we previously reported, Vince McMahon’s daughter Stephanie McMahon recently stood down from her role as WWE’s Chief Brand Officer.

“As of tomorrow, I am taking a leave of absence from the majority of my responsibilities at WWE,” Stephanie tweeted. “WWE is a lifelong legacy for me and I look forward to returning to the company that I love after taking this time to focus on my family.”

Source: TheSportster

WWE NXT Preview 6/14/22

The following is set for tonight on WWE NXT 2.0 at 8/7 C on USA!

Backstage News On AAA TripleMania Main Event Plans Follow Jeff Hardy’s Arrest

AAA are still hoping to have Matt Hardy involved in the main event of TripleMania this weekend, according to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of “Wrestling Observer Radio.”

The Hardy were scheduled to compete in the main event of the show this Saturday in Tijuana against Dragon Lee and Dralistico, but that match is now up in the air due to the recent news of Jeff Hardy being arrested for a DUI emerging. But, the company does still want Matt to be involved, and they would ideally like to find a new partner for him.

As of now, nobody has been determined for that, as it is short notice for someone to make that trip, but they have reportedly asked for a bunch of guys as AAA are hopeful of making this match work still. There is still no confirmation on the match happening though, including Matt’s status.

Jeff was reportedly bonded out of jail Monday evening with a $3,500 bond being paid via the assistance of a bail bondsman. He was previously slated to appear in court Tuesday at 1:30 pm ET, but that appearance is currently listed as “canceled.”

The Hardys were originally scheduled to compete at “AEW Dynamite” this week in a triple threat ladder match for the AEW Tag Team Championships, and the status of that encounter is still up in the air as well. The company has reportedly asked Warner Bros to pull all advertising of this match and Jeff in general, but no official statement has yet to be made by AEW or Tony Khan on this situation.

The lineup for TripleMania this weekend is as follows:

* The Hardys vs. Dragon Lee & Dralistico (This is currently up in the air)

* Ruleta de la Muerte Semifinal: Villano IV vs. Psycho Clown (The loser advances to the finals)

* Ruleta de la Muerte Semifinal: Blue Demon Jr. vs. Pentagon Jr. (The loser advances to the finals)

* AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Laredo Kid vs. Rey Fenix vs. Hijo del Vikingo vs. AAA Latin American Champion Black Taurus vs. Bandido

* Elimination Cage Match: Chik Tormenta vs. Sexy Star II vs. Reina Dorada vs. Lady Shani vs. La Hiedra vs. Lady Maravilla vs. Flammer vs. another competitor to be announced.

* Final Elimination Cage winners will face each other in a Mask vs. Mask Match

* TripleMania Cup: Competitors TBA

Wrestling Legend (The Great Muta) Keiji Mutoh Announces His Retirement From The Ring

Keiji Mutoh, best known for his portrayal of The Great Muta in WCW and NJPW, announced his impending in-ring retirement at the “Cyberfest Festival” yesterday.

Muta, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, appeared at the joint project of DDT, Noah, and Tokyo Joshi Pro, and announced that he will no longer be competing in the ring after this Spring. He intends to have a final 5 matches before he takes off his boots for good.

The longtime veteran returned to pro wrestling this past May after recovering from a hip injury. He has been competing on and off for nearly 40 years now, first debuting in 1984 with New Japan Pro Wrestling. He would go on to be the IWGP Heavyweight Champion with the promotion on four separate occasions throughout his career.

Muta is also recognized as one of the wrestlers that popularized innovative moves that are used often in modern wrestling like the Shining Wizard, the Moonsault, the Muta Lock, and the Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Additionally, he is one of only four wrestlers that was able to capture AJPW’s Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, NJPW’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and Noah’s GHC Heavyweight Championship in his career.

He is also a thirteen-time world tag team champion, including five AJPW World Tag Team Championships, six IWGP Tag Team Championships, one GHC Tag Team Championship, and one WCW World Tag Team Championship. Muta has held an impressive total of 32 Championships over the course of his career, a feat few other wrestlers can proclaim.

Source: Wrestling Inc.